Opportunity: Extracting Metals, Mettalloids, Sulfate

Questions/responses in writing only to: Callista Weatherford at cweatherford@Usgs.gov. Fax: 303-236-5859. Request submittals by 01/22/2016 by 5PM Mountain Time. This is not a solicitation; no contract requirement is expected in the forseeable future, this RFI is for information only. Submission is voluntary and at the expense of the contractor. Request for Information for Enterprises Extracting Metals, Metalloids, and/or Sulfate from Acid Surface or Groundwaters Contaminated by Metal Mining Activities for Reuse or Recycling INTRODUCTION The United States Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. Department of Interior, is developing and refining thermodynamic and kinetic data used in geochemical codes that simulate mineral solubilities and related reactions relevant to weathering of sulfide-bearing mines and mineral deposits, secondary recovery of materials from mineral processing wastes, and extraction of metals from acid mine drainage. The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to gather information on technologies and processes directed toward extraction of possible commodities for resource recovery from mine or mineral processing wastewaters, especially acid mine drainage (common metals such as iron, aluminum, copper, zinc, cadmium, metalloids such as arsenic, antimony, and selenium, and sulfate). The USGS seeks to assess the feasibility of applying these geochemical codes to extraction and resource recovery operations for optimizing and improving the efficiency of these operations. Respondents are encouraged to provide information about the approximate range of chemical composition (concentrations, pH, and temperature) for which geochemical computations would be applicable. The long-term objective is to provide Federal land managers, Federal and State regulators, industry partners, and mining industry (engineering and consulting firms) with alternative means of addressing hazardous wastes from mine sites instead of the current expensive remedial measures such as lime neutralization for acid mine drainage and providing computer simulations that would help guide and evaluate these alternatives. PURPOSE OF REQUEST FOR INFORMATION The USGS is now seeking information on industry capabilities or potential capabilities, and actual or potential capabilities from university or other research laboratories, for single component or multiple component technologies that intend to extract recyclable products, especially metals and sulfate, from contaminated acid mine waters. The technology does not need to be proven for any scale of application, only that it shows distinct promise for application. Such technologies include, but are not limited to, precipitation, electrochemical separation, ion exchange, solvent extraction, membrane separation, bioremediation, bioelectrolysis, or any combination of these. DISCLAIMER: THE RFI IS ISSUED SOLELY FOR INFORMATION AND PLANNING PURPOSES AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION. IN ACCORDANCE WITH FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (FAR) 15.201(e), RESPONSES TO THIS NOTICE ARE NOT OFFERS AND CANNOT BE ACCEPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO FORM A BINDING CONTRACT. RESPONDENTS ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH RESPONDING TO THIS RFI. RESPONDENTS NEEDING CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT FOR ANY PROPRIETARY INFORMATION THEY FURNISH MUST COMPLY WITH THE USGS's CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REGULATIONS, 17 C.F.R. 200.83 (CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT PROCEDURES UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT). ALL INFORMATION RECEIVED IN RESPONSE TO THIS RFI THAT IS MARKED PROPRIETARY WILL BE HANDLED ACCORDINGLY. PROPRIETARY INFORMATION OR TRADE SECRETS SHOULD BE CLEARLY IDENTIFIED. RESPONSES TO THIS RFI WILL NOT BE RETURNED. RESPONDENTS WILL NOT BE NOTIFIED OF THE RESULT OF THE REVIEW.